Elastic-fluid turbine.



w. J. A. LONDON.

ELASTIC FLUID TURBINE. APPLICATION nun r3119, 1909.

972,788. 7 V I Patented 00111131910.

WITNESSES:

S INVENTOQR I 1n: mmms PE'ZERS co., WASHINGTON, n, c.

A v u. QQW ATTORNEY 11v FACT.

UNITED srxrns PATENT onnron.

WILLIAM J. A. LONDON, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTING- HOUSE MACHINE COMTPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 11, 1910.

Original application filed March 6, 1906, Serial No. 304,477. Divided and this application filed February 19,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. A. LON- DON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Hartford, Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Elastic-Fluid Turbines, 'of which the following is a specification, this application being a division of an application filed by me on March 6, 1906, Serial No. 3%,477.

This invention relates to elastic fluid tur bines and has for an object the production of means for counterbalancing the end or longitudinal thrust-s on the rotors of turbines of the axial-flow multi-stage type.

A further object is the production, Without the use of balancing dummy pistons, of a balanced turbine, through the major portion of which the motive fluid flows in one axial direction only.

Turbines of the axial flow multi stage type are ordinarily balanced by means of dummy pistons which are so mounted on the turbine rotor and to which the motive fluid is so delivered that the longitudinal thrust of the motive fluid on the dummies counterbalances the longitudinal thrust occasioned by the motive fluid in the working passages of the turbine.

My invention contemplates so proportioning the diameters of the blade carrying drums of the separate stages of the turbine and so arranging the stages relative to the flow of motive fluid that the longitudinal thrusts on the turbine rotor will be counterbalanced without the necessity of utilizing balancing dummies.

The embodiment of my invention herein described and illustrated comprises a multistage turbine of the axial-flow type which is divided into a high-pressure stage and a lowpressure stage.

The blading of the high-pressure stage is mounted on a drum or equivalent part in the usual manner; the blading and the fluid passages of the low-pressure stage are, however, so arrangedthat the fluid exhausting from the high-pressure or initial stage and entering the low-pressure stage is divided into two arts and the separate portions are caused to flow in opposite directions while traversing the low-pressure stage. The fluid passages of the low pressure stage and the rotor element are so arranged that the axial or longitudinal thrust ..exerted by one por- Serial No. 478,933.

tion of the motive fluid traversing the lowpressure stage is counter-balanced by an op posing axial thrust by the motive fluid traversing the high-pressure stage and one portion of the low-pressure stage.

The drawing accompanying this application and forming a part thereof is a longitudinal section of a turbine embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing: the rotor element comprises a high-pressure drum 2 and a low-pressure drum 3 and is suitably mounted on shafts 4: which project through the ends of the turbine casing 5 and which are provided with suitable journals (not shown). The shafts 1 are secured by suit able means to each end of the drum 2 and the drum 3 is suitably mounted on the drum 2. The casing 5 incloses the rotor and is provided with a fluid inlet port 6 and a fluid exhaust port '7 and is so constructed that fluid passages of proper area are maintained between it and the rotor element.

Alternate rows of stationary vanes Sand moving blades 9 are mounted on the casing and the drum 2 respectively and comprise the high-pressure stage of the turbine. The blades and vanes are adapted to fractionally expand the motive fluid supplied to them and to abstract the energy rendered available by the expansion by impulse and reaction.

The admission port'6 communicates with an annular passage 10 which is formed within the casing and is located at one end of the rotor element and which is adapted to deliver motive fluid to the vanes and blades of the high-pressure stage.

The low-pressure stage is divided into two sections through which the motive fluid flows in opposite directions. One section comprises vanes 11 mounted on the casing and blades 12 coiiperatin therewith and mounted on a portion of the drum 3. The other sect-ion comprises vanes 13 mounted on the casing and blades l lmounted on a flange 15 of the drum 3. The flange 15 is of enlarged diameter and the drum 3 is so formed that an annular passage 16 is located between the section of enlarged diameter of the low-pressure stage and the exhaust end of the hlgh-pressure stage.

The vanes 11 and the blades 12 of the lowpressure stage receive motive fluid from an annular assa'ge 17 located between the rotor and t e casing and communicating directly with the exhaust end of the highpressure stage. The vanes 13 and blades 14 of the low-pressure stage receive motive fluid from the annular passage 17 through the passage 16 which is formed within the drum 3.

The motive fluid entering the series of vanes 11 and blades 12 is expanded to vacuum or exhaust pressure and is discharged into an annular passage 18 which communicates with the exhaust port 7. The motive fluid traversing the series of vanes 13 and blades 14 is expanded to vacuum or exhaust pressure and is discharged into the annular passage 18.

The longitudinal thrust of the motive fluid on the rotor element is counter.balanced by proportioning the diameter-of the flange 15 so that the'total pressure of the fluid exhausted from the high-pressure stage and acting on the face 19 of the drum 3 plus the resultant pressure of the fluid traversing the blades 14- and the pressure of the motive fluid on the adjacent end of the drum 2 will counter-balance the longitu-' 'dinal thrust on the rotor occasioned by the high-pressure motive fluid in the passage 10, the resultant pressure of the motive fluid traversing the high-pressure stage and the longitudinal pressure of the motive fluid traversing the blades 12 of the low-pressure stage. With such an arrangement the longitudinal thrusts on the rotor element are counterbalanced. In cases where the load on the turbine is suddenly changed, there probably would be a momentary end thrust, which may be taken up with a suitable thrust block or piston which is common in the art and is not shown.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, I have described the principle of operation of my invention, together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the ap p'aratus shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means.

What I claim is: 1. In an elastic fluid turbine, a full peripheral admission axial-flow high-pressure stage, a divided stage of lower pressure anda passage in the turbine rotor for placing the inlets of said low-pressure stage in communication one with the other and with the outlet of said high-pressure stage.

2. In an elastic fluid turbine, one or more stages through which the fluid flows in one direction only and a divided low-pressure stage, the divisions of which are of different diameters for the purpose of counterbalancing the axial rotor thrusts and through the divisions of which. the motive fluid flows in opposite directions.

3. In an elastic fluid turbine, one ormore stages through which the motive fluid flows in one axial direction only and a divided low-pressure stage comprising sect-ions of different diameters located at one end of said turbine and through which the motive fluid flows in opposite directions.

4. In an elastic fluid turbine, one or more stages through which the motive fluid flow-s in one axial direction only and a low-pres sure stage comprising sections of different diameter through the sections of which the and divided into two sections of different diameters through which the motive fluid flows in opposite directions.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 16th day of February,1909. r

IVILLIAM J. A. LONDON.

IVitnesses:

HENRY, B. LEE, E.- T. FITZ-GERALD". 

